


In His Hands

by WrathoftheStag



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: M/M, OR Jack being Jack, Realizing you're in love, bit o' angst, first kiss au, from a dialog prompt, there was no graduation kiss, zimbits - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-25 19:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20031451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrathoftheStag/pseuds/WrathoftheStag
Summary: A first kiss AU ficlet.  Jack doesn't kiss Bitty at graduation but realizes he has his future in his hands and can do something about it.





	In His Hands

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hero_Smitten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hero_Smitten/gifts).

> From a prompt by [Hero-Smitten](https://hero-smitten.tumblr.com/). The prompt was "I should have told you a long time ago." They wanted "angst with a happy ending." :)))

_“Euh, J'reviens.”_

Jack ran across the quad as his graduation gown flapped behind him. He had to get there, he had to get there, he had to get there. His breath a metronome guiding him back to the haus. And as he slammed the front door, Jack wasn’t quite sure what he was going to say or do, but only that he had to do it.

“BITTLE!” Jack called out as he stood outside Bitty’s doorway.

He wasn’t there. Jack quickly whipped around and looked inside his old room. It was empty, and Bitty was gone. He was gone, and Jack had lost his chance. His heart clenched as it realized the potential of everything it had missed. Every possible thing it lost.

“This is a lovely restaurant, isn’t it?” Alicia remarked as she cut into her filet later that afternoon. 

His parents and George kept up a busy chatter, and Jack was grateful.

“I’m just happy we were able to get a table,” Bob added.

Georgia smiled at Jack, and Jack gave her a watery smile in return unable to do anything else.

“So, are all your things at your new place?” George asked.

Jack pushed at his quinoa with his fork as he seemed to stare right through the plate.

“Jack?” Bob prodded.

All three of them looked at Jack, who, quite frankly, was in a whole different plane. Jack, sat there, but his mind was elsewhere. His mind was elsewhere while his heart lived outside his body—a painful 1,062 miles away. It took him that long to realize how he felt about Bittle, and now it pained him to no end to know he had waited a few minutes too late.

“Oh. I’m sorry, it’s just…” Jack didn’t even know what to say.

“It’s been an emotional day,” Alicia added. “You must be exhausted.” She leaned over and patted his hand. 

Jack cut into his steak and chewed slowly; it felt like sandpaper going down as he swallowed.

That night, as Jack sat among his boxes filled with his belongings brought back from Samwell, he thought about the state of mind he’d been in when he’d sign the lease for his apartment. He felt as though his future would _finally_ start and within the walls of his new Providence apartment, he’d get the life he thought he had been cheated of all those years ago. He’d, once and for all, be on the path he was meant to be.

But right then, as he mindlessly pulled books from a box and sat them on the living room floor, all Jack could think was that he’d been cheated again. Only this time, his self-sabotage felt a million times worse than what it felt like in the past.

He quickly got up and dug through one of his moving boxes. He pulled out his digital camera, turned it on, and scrolled through the photos on the memory card.

Photo after photo was of Bitty. Bitty baking in the haus kitchen. Bitty gliding across the ice. Bitty laughing as he sat next to Jack on the team bus. How could Jack have been so oblivious? And now that he knew, now that Jack understood—the longing and _need_ for Bittle—it came and hit like a flood in his chest. Roaring, it rushed in and knocked the wind out of him.

But did Bittle feel the same way? Sure, Jack had caught Bittle’s subtle glances and the occasional seemingly accidental brushing of fingers and hands… how Bittle’s touch would linger ever so slightly.

Still...

_“Bye, Jack.”_

_“Bye, Bittle. It's been great playing with you.”_

_“Jack, I... I…”_

Jack recalled Bittle’s face, how he held Jack’s tie in his hands, and Jack groaned. _Crisse!_ How could he have been so blind? 

That night, he fretfully slept as he had colorful dreams of a honeyed voice calling him _sweetpea_, _sweetheart_, and _darling_. Bitty laughed and threw his head back, and Jack lifted him into his arms and kissed him again and again. 

He woke in a cold sweat and looked at the clock. Three a.m. Jack wiped his face and chugged the glass of water that sat on the nightstand. Hell, if his future was to start now, it was all in his hands... 

Jack wasn’t sure if it was the most sensical of decisions, but at hour five of a sixteen-hour drive, he was in too deep to turn back now. He drank his third cup of coffee and watched as the landscape changed before him. Elms trees zipped by, bringing him closer and closer to his heart. Closer to the one person he knew could keep it safe.

**Jack**: _Bittle, are you home?_

**Bitty**: _Jack? What do mean?_

**Jack**: _Are you home?_

**Bitty**: _Yeah, sure. What’s up?_

**Jack**: _Bits, I don’t know how to say this._

**Bitty**: _What’s wrong? What’s going on?_

Jack exhaled profoundly and began typing again.

**Jack**: _I did something, and I hope you won’t be mad. I’m parked outside your house. Or at least I hope it’s your house. I googled your parents’ address._

Jack had pulled up in front of Bitty’s childhood home by nine that evening. He saw the porchlight come on, and for a second, doubted himself—and Bitty. He swallowed down that doubt and exited the car.

Bitty appeared, wearing a faded Samwell t-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts. He was barefoot, and Jack could swear he never saw anyone look as beautiful as Bitty did right then and there.

Bitty looked both ways before crossing, then quickly padded over to Jack’s car.

“Jack? What are you doing here?” His voice was soft and full of potential.

“Bittle--I. Bitty…” 

Jack took Bitty by the hand and leaned down. He pressed a kiss to his lips and felt as though he could breathe again—or perhaps for the first time?

Bitty melted into the kiss, and Jack smiled against his lips. When they at last parted, Jack wiped away Bitty’s tears.

“Don’t cry, Bits,” Jack said tenderly. “I should have told you a long time ago. A long time ago.”

Bitty smiled and pressed a kiss to Jack’s hand.

And at that moment, Jack knew his heart had found a home... forever.

**Author's Note:**

> So does Jack out Bitty by showing up at his house? Nah, because Bitty had come out to his parents when he got home and was crying on their shoulder all night. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
> 
> Come and say [hi on Tumblr](http://wrathofthestag.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> All OMGCP characters belong to Ngozi Ukazu.


End file.
